The exemplary embodiments described herein relate to optical analysis systems and methods for measuring characteristics of a dry bulk material or powder. More particularly, embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for measuring the characteristics of a bulk material or powder and use the measurements to ensure that the bulk material or powder is not contaminated.
Some industrial applications that use bulk materials and powders include forming set cement compositions for the construction industry. The oil and gas industry also uses set cement compositions for stabilizing and plugging wellbores, among other purposes. The operational parameters relating to cement slurries and the characteristics of the resultant set cement derive, at least in part, from the dry cement composition and the composition and concentration of the optional cement slurry additives mixed as powders in the dry cement blend composition.
Accordingly, while storing and conveying raw materials used in a blend to form dry cements it is desirable to have a correct determination of the raw materials used and their physical and chemical condition during storage and transfer. It is also desirable to determine flow conditions in a conveying system to optimize energy costs and to avoid damage to the infrastructure for handling the materials. Current techniques include discrete measurements in storage containers and pipelines at specific locations and times including manual sampling and laboratory testing the materials. For example, some embodiments include collecting a manual sample from a port located in the cone of a storage bin. However, samples taken from this port provide information about the material contained in the area of the bin adjacent to the sampling port and not the rest of the bin. Further approaches include inserting probes into the material contained in sample bins and hoppers from the top of the container. When using a long probe, this method may provide information of different type of material throughout the tank, but not of the condition of the material. Moreover, inserting probes requires carrying tools to the top of the container and back to the ground, and having a user standing at height for doing the work, incurring in work place liability and time-consuming steps.
Other techniques involve imprecise and unreliable methods such as detecting the sound that the raw material makes as it travels through the pipelines. Other approaches include analyzing the discharge of the raw material at the end or at some intermediate point of the pipeline. These measurement techniques typically involve a complicated, multi-step process of mixing harsh chemicals with the bulk materials or powders and analyzing the products via expensive, time-consuming methods like x-ray diffraction, gravimetric analysis, slurrying and testing viscosity over time in specified temperature and pressure conditions, and the like. Moreover, these measurement techniques may be insufficient for taking remedial action when an error occurs with one or more of the material supplies and an entire batch of dry cement is lost or deployed on location without satisfying quality standards. In relation to downhole oil and gas operations, improperly deployed cementing operations can increase both costs and liabilities, including costly remedial operations to repair the set cement.